The protests and riots appear designed to discredit both the junta and next Monday’s parliamentary elections which would begin the process of peacefully replacing the junta with a civilian government. The protesters demand that the junta skip the elections and immediately surrender power to a council of leaders of the most aggressive groups, and the timing of a severe disruption immediately before the elections shows how little the protesters care for popular rule. The use of violence, forcing the military to use violence in return, has predictably discredited the military. If the violence forces the junta to postpone the elections, both will be severely discredited. If the violence continues into the elections and voters are harassed, the rioters will gain the dual benefit of discrediting the election and suppressing the opposing vote.